O. C. Register judges surveillance program

In an editorial today, the O. C. Register argues that the terrorists surveillance program, aka warrantless wiretap program, is illegal and ought not be renewed when the House of Representatives returns from Presidents' Day break, at least not in the form passed by the Senate. The editorial includes the following:

"Although it's doubtful the program did all that much to frustrate terrorists, surveillance programs begun under it can continue for a year even though the law has expired, so the supposed damage to intelligence is minimal at best."

The CIA head and the Director of National Intelligence have testified to the opposite: that the program has helped to prevent new attacks and that the one-year rule does not prevent damage to national intelligence. Communication companies will not cooperate with the intelligence agencies until they are given immunity from legal liability, which awaits House passage of the bill.

But the O.C. Register knows better, apparently, or they think they do. Based on what we don't know because the Register doesn't say. Moreover, the Register does not mention in its editorial that the House's failure to act before taking its break was a spiteful act perpetrated by the Speaker and intended to stick it to President Bush, without regard to how the delay might affect national security.